Locking device for log bunks



WEE mwsmmm wwcm Aug. 25, 1925. 1,550,984

7 J. M. RALPH LOCKING DEVICE FOR LOG BUNKS Original Filed May 1923 INVENTOR Jm? 1 4. m4?

BY W W ATTORNEY antiwar" Moraine:

Patented Aug. 25, 1925.

UNITE G F l C E JACK IVI. RALPH, OF SEATTLE, W'ASI-IINGTON.

LOCKING DEVICE FOR LOG BUNKS.

Application filed May 5, 1923, Serial To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACK M. RALPH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of lvashington, have invented a certain new and useful Improvementin Locking Devices for Log Bunks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in looking devices for logging bunks and the object of my invention is to provide a strong, simple and readily releasable locking device for locking the operating bar of a logging bunk in a fixed position which device is adapted to be installed on a logging bunk of standard construction without altering or rearranging the parts of said bunk.

Another object is to provide a locking device that will, when in one position, form a positive lock for the operating bar of a loggin bunk and that is provided with protrading portions and notch portions which may be engaged by a flattened tool, as a crow bar or pinch bar, to facilitate the unlocking of the locking device.

I accomplish these objects by devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, where- 1n Figure 1 is a fragmentary View partly in section and partly in elevation showing a logging bunk of standard construction having my locking device installed thereon, the locking device being shown by full lines in a locked position and by broken lines in a partly unlocked position; and

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing my looking device in an unlocked position.

In handling logs it is customary to provide on logging cars, trucks and the like, heavy logging bunks which extend crosswise of the cars or trucks and are adapted to receive and support the load. These bunks are ordinarily provided at their opposite ends with stakes that protrude upwardly to hold the logs upon the bunk and that may be lowered to permit the logs to roll from the end of the bunk. The stakes are held in their upright position by operating bars that extend entirely across the bunk and are locked at the opposite end thereof so that a man standing on one side of a car can release and drop the stakes on the opposite side thereof. The device ordinarily used for locking the ends of the operating bars opposite to the stakes with which they are connected are not entirely satisfactory and No. 636,810. Renewed July 11, 1925.

at times fail to securely hold such bars in a locked position thus making it necessary to drive wedges into the ends of the bunk around the locking means to hold the ends of the operating bar or to use other makeshift means for holding said operating bars, all of which is, at times, not eflicient and is often very difficult to release when the logs are to be unloaded.

My invention is designed to replace the usual locking devices and to provide in place thereof a locking means that is efficient, reliable and satisfactory, that can be depended upon to hold the end of the operating bar under all conditions without wedging, tying or otherwise supplementing the same by makeshift retaining means and that is always readily releasable by pro-per manipulation.

Referring to the drawings throughout which like numerals designate like parts, the numeral 4 designates a logging bunk of well known standard construction that is provided at opposite ends with stakes 5 and 6 that are mounted on pivots 7 and are arranged to be moved from an upright position, in which position they will retain logs upon the bunk, to a lowered posit-ion in which they will permit the unloading of the logs from the bunk. The lower end of the stake 6 is connected by a pivot 8 with one end of an operating bar 9 that extends entirely across the bunk and is provided near its other end with a notch 10 forming a shoulder 11 that is arranged to engage a catch member 12 that is rigid with the bunk to hold the stake in a raised position.

The mechanism connected with the stake 5 is a duplicate of the mechanism connected with the stake 6 so that a description of the device on one side of the bunk will apply to similar devices on the other side of the bunk.

All of the above described parts are of old and well known construction.

My invent-ion resides in the provision of a single unitary lock member 13 having at its upper end a perforated bearing portion 14 arranged to be pivotally mounted on the transverse stake supporting pin 7 and having at its lower end a foot portion 15 arranged torest upon the end of the operating bar 9 and a downwardly protruding release portion 16 arranged to occupy a position in front of the end of the operating bar 9 and a notch 17 between F it the parts 15 and 16 said notch having an abrupt front wall 18 against which a tool may be placed as hereinafter explained to release the locking member 13.

In the operation of my locking means the stake 6 is raised, as shown in Fig. 1, and the notched portion 10 of the end of the operating bar 9 rests upon the catch member 12 then the foot portion 15 will rest upon or be in close proximity to the top edge of the operating bar and will hold such operating bar in engagement with the catch member 12.

The lock member 18 may be released from the locked position by inserting the end of any wedge-like instrument or tool, as the end of a. crow-bar or pinch bar first under the downwardly protruding release member 16 and prying outwardly and then, if the lock member is not entirely released, by inserting the end of the tool in the notch 17 and prying outwardly against the wall 18, as for instance, when the lock member 13 is in the locked position, shown by full lines in Fig. 1, the end of the tool may first be inserted under the downwardly protruding release member 16 and the lock member pried outwardly into the position shown by broken lines in Fig. 1 and such tool may then be inserted into the notch 17 and the lock member pried outwardly into a fully released position. The notch 17 thus performs an important function in facilitating the release of the lock member especially when an end thrust on the operating bar 9 tends to cause the same to press upwardly forcibly againstthe lock member.

hen the operating bar 9 is in the released position, shown in Fig. 2, the lock member 13 will rest on the top of such bar and will automatically drop into the locked position shown in Fig. 1 when said operating bar 9 is moved far enough to the right so that the notched portion 10 drops over the catch member 12.

Vhen the lock member is in the locked position any force tending to lift the end of the operating bar 9 will be exerted along a line that passes slightly to the rear of the center of the pivot member 7 thus making it practically impossible for the lock member to be released by upward pressure of the operating bar.

The lock member is extremely simple in its plan of construction and efficient in its operation, said member consisting of a single piece of metal that is mounted on the pivot 7 that supports the bunk stake 5 or 6 and that will form a positive lock to hold the operating bar in a locked position.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings clearly disclose what I now consider to be a preferred embodiment of my invention but it will be understood that this disclosure is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made in the device as are within the scope of the following claim:

What I claim is:

A locking device for log bunks comprising a pivotally mounted locking member having at its rear edge a foot portion and having at its forward edge a downwardly protruding release portion and also having a notch formed between said foot portion and said downwardly protruding release portion whereby a tool may be caused toengage first with said protruding release portion and then with said notch portion to release said foot portion when it is in a locked position.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 23rd day of April A. D. 192".

JACK M. RALPH. 

